Lacking patience – When you’re ready for a change, you’re ready. You want it NOW. Only, it doesn’t work like that. Changing your career takes time, you need to set goals. You can’t just drop what you’ve been doing and move on to the next thing overnight. Dream, believe, aim, and be persistent.

Not doing appropriate research – What skills, education and experience do you need to make this career change? Perhaps you need to go back to school, or take an internship, or look for an interim job that will provide you with the background you need.

Having no plan – Map out the steps you will take to get from where you are to where you want to be and commit to a realistic timeframe, but aim high. Look to your friends and family to help support you and hold you accountable. Or, work with a career coach to create a concrete strategy and help keep you on track.

Not doing your networking – Get to know people in the field. Find out what publications they read and what associations they belong to. Get to know the experts in the field and stay up-to-date on new and emerging trends. Insert yourself into the world of this new career, better yet. Get an industry mentor who can guide you.

Forgetting you have to start somewhere – Remember that opportunities will expand as you grow in your new field. Determine what it’s worth to you. If this new career promises a greater sense of fulfillment in the long run, perhaps a little sacrifice is acceptable for now. Only you can make that decision.

You don’t believe it is possible – Believing the career change is possible is the undercurrent of a successful career change. If you don’t believe, perhaps it’s better to stay where you are.

Jacquie Ottema is a Career Success Coach with 5 Point Perspectives – a Career Exploration and Employment Transition Coaching private practice who serves clients across Canada in a convenient, customized and confidential way. She is an advocate for the 5 Point PAVIS approach (personality, aptitudes, values, interests and strengths) for successful career change. She is a proud supporter of the Canadian Association of Adaptive Skiing (CADS) as an Instructor, volunteers her time in the community for numerous events and causes and absolutely LOVES the work she does.

Many factors will shape the career and employment landscape in the workforce in the next decade. It will become very important for all professionals who value their careers to watch, listen and learn to identify trends and identify possible solutions to this challenging and ever changing workforce landscape. Seven factors will be explored below as we ease out of the last recession and look forward into the years coming – and yet another recession looming – at a fast a furious pace. An interesting statistic to note is that 30% of Ontario’s labour market earned less than $15 hour as of 2016. What is the overall impact on our economic health in Canada? Things that make you go hmmmmmm….

Minimum Wage Hike– The minimum wage hike to $14 per hour on January 1, 2018 and a $15 per hour increase on January 1, 2019 should pose some challenges and should be cause for concern for many. Some employers have responded to these increases by reducing hiring, cutting employee work hours, reducing benefits and charging higher prices to their consumers. Employees, on the other hand, have responded in different ways, such as stating they will move onto to less stressful and less demanding jobs now that the wage no longer reflects the effort they have made to wait patiently and work hard to achieve that wage with slow increases received since they started the job; in essence, they are resentful and since there seems to be lack of loyalty in many cases, they will move on. Employee turnover will cost employers insurmountably. Employers need to keep the good talent they have had for years, with other internal incentives and opportunities for growth and development in order for employees to feel valued.

‘Millennials’ in the workforce – Millennials already face bias in the labour market for not having experience. I frequently hear “They won’t hire me because I don’t have experience but how do I get experience if companies won’t hire me” especially in the case of new college or university graduates trying to manage a boatload of school related debt and find appropriate jobs which will sustain their financial situations.

Retirement of mature experienced workers – We are seeing an extended timeframe for younger, less experienced job seekers to secure full time roles, which pay them a lot less than their predecessors received. If retirees eventually leave these full time jobs and secure $15 an hour jobs due to having a higher level of skills than younger workers, this would have significant impact on productivity in any company and in turn, the overall economy.

Job Hopping/Career Changing – Statistics have told us in the past that we are changing careers 3 to 5 times in our lifetime and changing jobs every 2-5 years, which some experts are saying now is higher. The labour market has certainly reflected this especially where the past generations are concerned. Employee turnover costs companies millions of dollars each year as we see this trend continue.

Applicant Tracking Systems – The theory behind these technically based applicant pre-screening tools has not yet been mastered and seems to be keeping good, qualified workers from being considered due to resumes not matching the keywords selected by the employer. Again, this technology is serving to keep good qualified applicants out. However, the bigger question here is “are ATS systems working systematically within the needs of each role employers are hiring for?”

Higher Skill Set Requirement – Employers will want higher skilled workers, to increase productivity so expectations will increase, putting those employed at risk of burnout due to having less workers to handle the workload requirements, which could see an increase in short and long term, non-physical disability claims (health issues due to stress, depression, PTSD etc.) by its’ employees.

What Employees Want – Increase to $15 hour will still not be enough to pay ridiculously high rental rates or home purchase mortgages in our province or re-pay student debt. Employees want flexible work schedules for more work/life balance. Work from home opportunities will need to increase due to demand of a skilled workforce, focus on the environment and expensive commercial leasing rates. Workers want an opportunity to contribute something meaningful to their community; to find meaning and purpose in the work they do.

So what do we do? Observe what is actually happening, determine how to deal with the minimum wage increase, ask questions of hiring managers and HR professionals to determine the anticipated trends affecting their hiring practices and use this information to prepare ourselves for the inevitable impact – either positive or negative. Find the true problems which will affect us all either directly or indirectly, then seek out the win-win solutions to those problems. The race to see who will persevere and succeed in the changing landscape of our labour market will be an interesting one to say the least.

I repeatedly get asked is “What does a career coach do?” or “How would I benefit from working with a career coach?”

I often hear comments such as:

“I hate my job, but I don’t know what else I can do!”

“I don’t know why I decided to go into this line of work. I don’t like it and it is not a good fit for me!”

“My parents made me choose this career, I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I’m miserable and drag myself into work everyday. I’ve got to get out of there.”

“I can’t work with for that company/manager anymore, I’ve had it”.

“My health is being negatively affected by my job, I need a change.”

91% of people surveyed who have worked with a career coach rated the experience as “valuable”, “extremely valuable”, “life changing” (Source: Forbes).

Career Coaches/Counsellors support their clients by:

Focusing on employment and issues around careers

Supporting people to make informed decisions about their career development and job search

Offering various tools, if necessary, to assist; such as career exploration assessments, strategies and other job search tools and information

Setting concrete steps they can take to achieve career objectives

Assessing their professional situations with honesty, curiosity, empathy and compassion and uncover any potential “blind spots” the client cannot see on their own

Boosting career confidence and motivation levels

Setting and achieving career goals

Discussing and overcoming challenges and obstacles

Becoming an accountability partner

Keeping clients focused and on track

Providing emotional support when needed and hope

A coaching relationship is an intimate one. Clients express and discuss things they may not even tell the people closest to them. The partnership is built on trust, integrity, honesty and confidentiality. Typically, anyone who struggles to work well with a coach doesn’t follow through with taking action, which is why a small percentage of people who work with a coach, might not succeed. Taking ownership and responsibility is critical. After all, the client is at the helm, the coaches job is to be part of their crew to support them to get to their destination. If you are ready to commit, take ownership, and take action, then work with a career coach. Fortunately, some coaches have both coaching and counselling education, background and experience. Everybody can utilize and benefit from a coach/counsellor at some point in their career. I know it helped me personally in the past when my career was at a crossroads. I completed career assessments which outlined my natural, greatest potential in a career type, took ownership, created a plan of action, took the necessary steps to change careers and became a successful Career Coach/Counsellor. I get to make a difference in the lives of my clients each and every day; a decision I have never regretted.

Jacquie Ottema is a Career Success Coach with 5 Point Perspectives – a Career Exploration and Employment Transition Coaching private practice who serves clients across Canada in a convenient, customized and confidential way. She is an advocate for the 5 Point PAVIS approach (personality, aptitudes, values, interests and strengths) for successful career change. She is a proud supporter of the Canadian Association of Adaptive Skiing (CADS) as an Instructor, volunteers her time in the community for numerous events and causes and absolutely LOVES the work she does.

Professional Profile! –Digital/Marketing Strategist looking for the right company fit

Only employers who are looking to hire a results-driven Digital/Marketing Strategist, with creative problem-solving skills who translates consumer insights into business opportunities can read on…

Desired employer/company:

Entrepreneurial spirit at the company is essential!

Location: Within 40 kms of Mississauga or offer to work remotely, any distance

Career highlights to date:

Launched the most successful product assortment at one of Canada’s top retailers – turned declining business into a consistent share growth within 3 months of the product launch resulting in 20% share growth

I question I repeatedly get asked is “What does a career coach do?” or “How would I benefit from working with a career coach?”

I often hear comments such as:

“I hate my job, but I don’t know what else I can do!”

“I don’t know why I decided to go into this line of work. I don’t like it and it is not a good fit for me!”

“My parents made me choose this career, I didn’t know what else to do.”

“I’m miserable and drag myself into work everyday. I’ve got to get out of there.”

“I can’t work with for that company/manager anymore, I’ve had it”.

“My health is being negatively affected by my job, I need a change.”

91% of people surveyed who have worked with a career coach rated the experience as “valuable”, “extremely valuable”, “life changing” (Source: Forbes).

Career Coaches/Counsellors support their clients by:

Focusing on employment and issues around careers

Supporting people to make informed decisions about their career development

Offering various tools, if necessary, to assist; such as career exploration assessments, strategies and other job search tools and information

Setting concrete steps they can take to achieve career objectives

Assessing their professional situations with honesty, curiosity, empathy and compassion and uncover any potential “blind spots” the client cannot see on their own

Boosting career confidence and motivation levels

Setting and achieving career goals

Discussing and overcoming challenges and obstacles

Becoming an accountability partner

Keeping clients focused and on track

Providing emotional support when needed and hope

A coaching relationship is an intimate one. Clients express and discuss things they may not even tell the people closest to them. The partnership is built on trust, integrity, honesty and confidentiality. Typically, anyone who struggles to work well with a coach doesn’t follow through with taking action, which is why a small percentage of people who work with a coach, might not succeed. Taking ownership and responsibility is critical. After all, the client is at the helm, it is the coach’s job to be part of their crew to provide support to get to their destination. If you are ready to commit, take ownership, and take action, then work with a career coach. Fortunately, some coaches have both coaching and counselling education, background and experience.

Everybody can utilize and benefit from a coach/counsellor at some point in their career. I know it helped me personally in the past when my career was at a crossroads. I completed career assessments which outlined my natural, greatest potential in a career type, took ownership, created a plan of action, took the necessary steps to change careers and became a successful Career Coach/Counsellor. I get to make a difference in the lives of my clients each and every day; a decision I have never regretted.

Jacquie Ottema is a Career Success Coach with 5 Point Perspectives – a Career Exploration and Employment Transition Coaching private practice who serves clients across Canada in a convenient, customized and confidential way. She is an advocate for the 5 Point PAVIS approach (personality, aptitudes, values, interests and strengths) for successful career change. She is a proud supporter of the Canadian Association of Adaptive Skiing (CADS) as an Instructor, an avid sailor, volunteers her time in the community for numerous events and causes and absolutely LOVES the work she does.

Ahhhhhhh … unemployment. Take time off, sit back, relax, go on a trip and just wait for all the job offers to come along. No way! Get started as early as possible with the process of looking for work. Our labour market, depending on your industry, is tumultuous and it may take longer to find work than you think. Industry experts claim it will take an average of 6 months to 1.5 years of full time job searching to find suitable and sustainable employment.

Financial – If you are out of work, have you filed for Employment Insurance? If you haven’t, go to your nearest service provider location and complete an application.

Self Assessment – An important step in your job search involves self assessment. You must know yourself first before you can introduce yourself to employers. Before you start looking for a specific job or career you need answers to such questions as: What are my natural work-related strengths, interests, attributes, attitudes and values, personality? What have I learned from my academic, paid and volunteer experiences? What kind of position am I seeking? Where do I want to live? How far will I be feasibly able to commute? What are my career goals? What kind of lifestyle do I envision for myself?

Know Your Objective – Do you know what type of work you want? Knowing what type of work you enjoy and are looking for is critical to a successful job search. A clear idea of who you are, what you can do, what you want to do, and in what environment you want to do it, will enable you to better develop a concrete career objective and resume that accurately reflects what you are seeking.

Take Action – Successful job search requires a definite plan of action. How will you develop a list of potential employers? How will you contact them? By when? Who will you speak to? What are your communication strengths and options and how can you best use them? Conducting a job search without a plan will cost you precious time, money and the right fit if not done effectively.

Marketing Yourself – In past labour markets the 2 most basic marketing tools for your job search – your résumé and your cover letter – were all you needed. Developing an effective résumé and good targeted cover letter IS essential-but not the be-all-end-all. Business cards are turning out to be a great job connecting tool, so don’t overlook the importance of being able to market yourself in the most unlikely places such as the grocery store, elevator, BBQ, your kids soccer game etc. You never know who knows who.

Getting the interview – The interview is the goal of your marketing tools; the result of hard work on your résumé and cover letter, and the outcome of a successful plan of action. However, to be so intent on getting interviews that you neglect to prepare for them can set you up for disappointment and frustration. Have you researched the organization? Are you prepared to communicate what you can contribute? Have you studied the kinds of questions often asked?

Learn Current Job Search Skills – Change is everywhere and job searching is no exception. Make sure you are not using the same old 80’s or 90’s techniques to get work. Get up to speed by working with a professional, practice and apply the new job search skills to reduce the time it takes to get a job. Ensure you are tapping into the Hidden Job Market where 80%+ of jobs are never posted…anywhere. Have you practiced and received constructive feedback on your interview skills in a confidential one-on-one setting?

Gather Information – Do you understand the current labour market? Do you know how to tap into 80%+ of jobs never posted, design marketing materials that have content that will “sell” your skills on your résumé, cover letter, and business cards and penetrate ATS (Applicant Tracking Software)?

”You’ve got the job!’‘ are the four words job hunters most want to hear. But what then? Are you prepared to evaluate the offer to see if it matches your interests and more importantly your prioritized work values? Could you turn down a job offer you felt was wrong for you? How will you make your decision? Have you determined what your basic monthly expenses are so you can see if the offered salary will cover them and allow you to begin at least a modest savings plan?

Connect with us at 5 Point Perspectives.com! We can help you sort through this career and job search stuff, assist you in determining your next steps, teach you current job search techniques, boost your confidence and help you land the job of your dreams!

Mistake #1 – Lack of Focus

You want to “stay open to possibilities” and are hoping employers will see where you fit into their organization.

Your resume has a vague objective and lists your background without customization.

You insist that you’ll be an asset to anyone who hires you so you don’t focus on a specific employment target.

To the employer, you look like a “job shopper” and your search goes on for months.

The Solution:

Complete a self-assessment process. This can be accomplished when you work with us. We’ll customize an approach that works for you which is customized, convenient, confidential and breaks you free from career misery! Work with a qualified career coach.

Mistake #2 – Job Search Without a Plan

The Problem:

You wake up every morning and wonder – what am I going to do today to get out of my rut? It’s overwhelming.

You could look at the Internet job sites, go to a local job fair, or call your best friend who always listens to you no matter what. Let’s face it, you don’t have a plan and your job search is going nowhere.

The Solution:

Think outside of the box…in fact… SHATTER the box!

Clearly identify a target industry and function, which allows you to identify the people you need to meet.

Identify companies in your geographic area that could hire you, if they had an opening. Then decide how you are going to let those companies know you are available.

Send a customized cover letter, a resume, and follow up with a phone call a week later. Explain your interest in their company and ask for a meeting.

Attend professional association meetings and events that will get you in touch with the people you need to meet.

Use multiple avenues to reach the potential employers. Do not rely on any single approach.

Set goals

“You can’t write your resume until you know what you want to do. Perhaps you think you are getting off to a great start by hiring some flashy resume service. Believe me, it’s a waste of your time and money!”

Mistake #3 – Writing Your Resume as a First Step

The Problem:

You can’t write your resume until you know what you want to do. Perhaps you think you are getting off to a great start by hiring some flashy resume service. Believe me, it’s a waste of your time and money! Recruiters can spot a professionally developed, generic resume and it goes into the wastebasket. They want a well thought-out resume that reflects your personality and talents.

The Solution:

Start with your self-assessment and then research potential employment targets

Once you know what you want, you can look at your previous accomplishments and match them with the requirements of your target job and employer.

Then write a resume that will get employers to call you first. Advertise on LinkedIn.

Mistake #4 – Meeting with People Before Doing Your Research

The Problem:

If you are like many job seekers, you reviewed your list of contacts as soon as you hit the job-hunting trail. You dialed those numbers and asked for jobs. You hit up the few big decision makers you knew, hoping they would hook you up with a great opening. Basically, you sounded needy and, yes, unfocused. You “burned your network”. Now it’s hard to go back.

The Solution:

First, if you have not burned your network, don’t do that! Generally you want to do all your reading and internet research first.

Prepare a thirty-second statement that explains what you want to do and why you are qualified.

Your first calls should be to the LEAST influential people. Practice on them. Ask them who else you should be talking to.

Work your way up to the best contacts you have. Be very prepared before you talk to the powerful people on your list.

If you ran through your network too early, re-connect, starting, as I mentioned before, with the bottom of your contact list. Explain that your focus has been refined and you’d like to update them on your progress. And be sure to ask them who else you should be talking to.

This will help expand your network and get you back into the game with a fresh start.

Even brief updates can keep your networking alive.

Mistake #5 – Jumping Into the First Thing that Comes Along

The Problem:

The unemployment rate can be sobering (especially if you listen to the news or read the newspaper), but it rarely reflects all the details of your particular situation. So, while it is tough to find a really good job, there are jobs to be found. No matter how low the unemployment rate goes, it is tempting to jump at the first offer. If you are a worrier (and who is not), you want to get closure on your transition. Maybe you accept more travel than you really want—or a lower salary. Before you know it, another five years has gone by and all you’ve got to show for it is more gray hair, stress and health issues.

The Solution:

Let’s face it, job hunting is scary and can cause you to pull the trigger too fast.

If you need money right away, consider temporary employment or contract work in your field, but don’t under-employ yourself.

If your job search is becoming prolonged, hire a professional to help you.

Every month that you go without a salary, you are losing much more than it would cost you to hire a good career coach.

Mistake #6 – Not Following Up

The Problem:

You have to take the initiative, even in the face of possible rejection. And, if you are human, that sounds about as much fun as a root canal. But, let me assure you that lack of follow-up is at the bottom of most stalled job hunts.

The Solution:

Know that every letter, every meeting, and every interview will require timely, thoughtful follow up. Standard letters or emails, done quickly, may be worse than no follow up letter at all. Take time to think about ways to bring up your positive attributes.

Show your good manners and excellent communication skills.

Ask for another meeting, if it seems appropriate. Keep the door open and find ways to be helpful to everyone in your network

“Know that every letter, every meeting, and every interview will require timely, thoughtful follow up. Take time to think about ways to bring up your positive attributes.”

Mistake #7 – Taking a Break

The Problem:

I can hear it now; you are sick of your job search. All you want is a lounge chair on a beach in Hawaii. And, lo and behold, your best buddy is going next week and he asks you to join him. Well, you’ve been really working hard on this search so you figure you deserve a break. You head off for a week and plan to pick up where you left off when you return. So what’s the big deal, you ask? Well, it’s called “momentum”. A good job search is strategic and builds on itself, it’s much like running a marathon. While you will get tired, the option of stopping and then starting again in mid race is out of the question. When you walk away from your search, you miss events and do not follow up in a timely manner. You miss a week of job postings and are not there for the one really important phone call.

The Solution:

If you are working and conducting a search, plan to spend about ten hours every week on your job hunt.

If you are unemployed, you should spend about thirty hours a week on your search. If an emergency comes up, realize that you will lose ground while you are busy doing something else.

If a job offer comes up, be available.

Mistake #8 – Being Disorganized

The Problem:

Searching for a job is messy. It involves lots of paperwork and keeping track of important information. The person who gets the good job will be the one who answered the phone promptly, did not get lost on the way to the interview, and spelled the hiring manager’s name correctly. The devil is in the details. Your job search will go on if you don’t get organized.

The Solution:

Set up a simple contact management system.

Have a professional phone message and decide where (in your house or office) you will be most productive–and organize that space.

Mistake #9 – Listening to the Wrong People

The Problem:

Mistake number ten is related to mistake number nine. There are lots of negative people in the world and sometimes they are members of your own family or people who are out of touch with the current labour market and ways to find employment. If you listen to people who are fearful or lacking self-confidence, they will lay all of their insecurities on you. They make remarks like, “Be satisfied with what you have”. “The grass is always greener on the other side”. And, “There really are no good jobs anymore these days”. Yikes, with that kind of input, you will never get the great job you deserve.

The Solution:

Some ways to avoid being taken down by negativity:

Hang out with the cheerleaders…no, I don’t mean the ones at the football games.

Stay in touch with people who think highly of you.

Seek out role models, people you admire.

Get the support you need.

5 Point Perspectives can help!

You have unique talents that need to be utilized. You want to live up to your potential. There is no reason you cannot have the job you’ve always dreamed of or start your own business if that is your deepest aspiration. And now . . . you are equipped to avoid the common mistakes that most job seekers make in order to get there.

Value yourself. Invest in your future! Let Perspectives help you navigate your career to success!